Anyone wanna start a petition for a pre-order beta?

[DavidtheDuke]

Sins of a Solar Empire had a pre-paid beta (you pre-order the game which gives you access) that I believe worked out pretty well. I got into it and liked the game and was able to offer input on bugs etc. I think this would go a long way towards speeding CA's development up for Q2 2012. The only negative I really see coming from this is certain CA 'fanboys' incessantly whining over historically conflicting color schemes etc.

[Prof]

Red Orchestra 2 had one, too.

The game came out more buggy than the beta was though.

Would be nice to be able to play it and find bugs/be able to suggest stuff early though.

[DavidtheDuke]

Red Orchestra 2 had one, too.

The game came out more buggy than the beta was though.

Well that's really odd. The only thing with Sins was there was no longer a pre-game splash about how it's a beta.

[alQamar]

i would agree but not a pre order Beta, this case they earned their money and still we dont know how much influence and fixing we can do on the end product. an open beta will be highly appreciated.

afaik CA does not listen to petitions

[totalwar-zone]

It exist (in the future) for sure a closed beta as well in Shogun 2 and Empire. I dont need more.

[Tim_Ward]

Nah.

[Horatio Hornblower]

No thanks...

[MathiasOfAthens]

Idk... sometimes creating PUBLIC betas can be time consuming processes that detract from the main build of the game. So it could bring the game down.

Every game developer has an internal beta the public never sees. If CA decides to release that one the better but I dont want them wasting resources on a public beta if it takes away from their internal development.

[Totalheadache]

a demo yes.

[emotion_name]

They already do closed beta testing, plus the pre order incentives are slightly "more" than a beta code, after all they couldnt put the Beta codes on general sale a few months after release like they do with all pre order incentives!

[DavidtheDuke]

They already do closed beta testing, plus the pre order incentives are slightly "more" than a beta code, after all they couldnt put the Beta codes on general sale a few months after release like they do with all pre order incentives!

Eh, I'm not going to go with pre-order bonuses. I think it'd drive alot of pre-orders, but if they think it's not worth their time because they have sufficient closed beta testing, ok. I don't agree with that though, with day one major bugs always being found.

[Aeneas Veneratio]

I rather just play the game, when it is finished. This has more to do with my image of the game being tarnished by the bugs I would encounter in the beta than some apathetic feeling of not being willing to help.

@OP: If you want a petition for it, make it yourself!

[DavidtheDuke]

I rather just play the game, when it is finished.

@OP: If you want a petition for it, make it yourself!

What's teh best way of getting CA's attention? Posting on totalwar.com?

[Aeneas Veneratio]

What's teh best way of getting CA's attention? Posting on totalwar.com?

That and provide the thread with a link to one of those sites, where you can make a proper petition easily.

[emotion_name]

I think, in CA defense, when making PC games there will always be a certain number of people with day one issues - such is the variety of the amount of different rigs people play games on, as opposed to a console game thats "same for all", in the hardware sense!

Keep Pre Order bonuses as Pre order bonuses, not to be released at a later date - now there is a petition i would sign!

[DavidtheDuke]

I think, in CA defense, when making PC games there will always be a certain number of people with day one issues - such is the variety of the amount of different rigs people play games on, as opposed to a console game thats "same for all", in the hardware sense!

Exactly, and that's why an open beta would be great, they'd weed out the really big issues that might crop up from cross-hardware issues. Guild Wars and Starcraft and lots of other very high profile games have done just fine. I'm not game development expert though, so in CA's case that kinda beta might do more harm than good. I'm not going to harbor ill will either way based on what they may or may not do.

[scivian]

We already get one on release day.

[S-cipio]

I was a beta-tester in Fall of the Samurai. I played the multi-player in this 3 month for release quite often.

I hope they are planning a beta for Rome 2, too. Because the games prefer from this and they are planning sth. new for multi-player. Without testers it is going to become really buggy. And C.A. haven't the cpacity to test it without the fanbase.

[He111]

A simple Demo, before the Release of the Full game (!!!), is enough for me.

[S-cipio]

I don't agree with you. A demo is (normally) a too small part of the game. Maybe the historically battles are also scripted. So you can't reviewing the hole game. And the test in magazines are often too cursorily.